✧TRUE BECOMINGS✧

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One Year Later
|3 from running away|

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Currently Rory was packing for her own trip with Aidan to Hawaii, the two were going to dive into their academic careers as Rory pushed herself into cracking the code to Wolfsbane.

She found herself staring at her closet as she was going to enjoy another vacation, but she had another conversation with the priestess at the sanctuary.

Her idea of giving herself to Rabastan when she wasn't married was out of pure devotion and love, and now she forced herself into a life of celibacy with Aidan as she felt disgusted with adultery.
Yet she spoke the three words to him not too long ago, but the moment had been entirely ruined as she hadn't accepted him physically.

So she grabbed the damn one-piece and threw it in with the rest, only securing it at the bottom and out of sight. "Mummy! When are you coming back?"

"Two weeks darling, and I believe I promised to get you that potion manual from the previous visit." She shrugged, it wasn't anyone's fault that they were sold out.

"Imara asked for sand."
"Then I'll come back with some sand, did you want any shells or anything?" Cara was rather easy to buy gifts for, she was like her mother in that way.

Wanting manuals and little nicknacks, but she didn't realize her love of potions until Salem and Hogwarts, so in seeing Romulus and Cara so invested into it already settled her aching heart further.

Ronan had gone to his Uncle's, while Elizabeth had taken the rest to the main manor of the property. While Aidan looked beyond excited to join the warmer weather of the States as it was already close to Fall and the New England weather was betraying them all.

"Ready sunshine?"
"Always." She cheered, kissing his lips as he apprented them both to the local ministry office to take a fireplace to the island that they've visited countless through the past few years.

They already had plans for their visit, even renting a quant home off in seclusion but in a magical tribe that adored them. It made for a simpler time, especially since they were appreciative of the culture.

Unlike some people, not that Rory was going to mention any names.

The two didn't wait much longer to arrive at the beach, and for the majority of the first day did the two enjoy their fortunes and simply talk.

But Rory was still quite nervous on tonight, she relayed on all the blessings, prayors, and tried to relax as she desperately wanted to take this next step with Aidan.

Since she's arrived he's been by her side, soothing her when Lorelei was kicking in the womb. Watching the children while she tried to take a nap, and she was the one who couldn't commit further?

She relished in the emotion of trying to hold on the idea of waking up in Britain, but after the seasons changed and her eldest in Salem. It truly put a stop to the childish imagination she clung to, so while she took a bath that night, she made sure to use soothing oil to ease the tension in her muscles.

When redressing she placed the one-piece underneath her shorts and plain shirt—that might actually be his now that she had it on. But it rightly didn't matter, because if all goes well these moments won't matter.

Coming out of their room with semi-dried hair, had she smiled to see that he was rather comfortable with a glass of wine, on the couch and enjoying his own solitude.

But he smiled in welcome to see Rory join him, she was offered a book as this was one of the many activities that they would go about in the night.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" She asked, leaning into his embrace even further. And it caused him to grin, "The Black heiress of Britain, wants to watch muggle television?" She perked her lips and shrugged her shoulders up.

"And Mr.Proctor, ancient blood of the Salem colonies is going to deny the offer of a movie?" They'd tease each other on the regular of their bloodlines, though hers was relatively more impressive. She commended him on the darkness his received and rallied the idea that his family was the reason witches and wizards were cautious nowadays and prior.

Especially in Europe.

The two found a random movie in the rented house and decided to give it a try, not they were rightly invested with the plot. Instead they criticized the living hell out of either character, as well as attempt to understand the muggle tendencies within the movie.

It was indeed the perfect way to wind down the evening, as Aidan had assumed. But a light smile graced her face as she leaned in for a small kiss.

"I love you." She whispered, a light declaration but Aidan wasn't going to complain in any way shape or form. "Gods bless you Aidan for all you have done for me, thank you isn't enough for—"

"I don't need a thank you sunshine, seeing you this happy is enough for me." She shook her head, the wizard still had needs, and although they attempted to be intimate, yet it always fell on Aurora's guilt.

And Aidan's respect.

The two suddenly found themselves in an incriminating position. Rory sat rightly in his lap and kissing down as he held her by the waist and attempt to restrain himself from feeling the way he was.

But as she interlocked her hands with his, a red siren rang in the back of his head in feeling no rings on her left hand. His fear skyrocketing in prediction her reaction to losing her wedding bands.

"Rory...Aurora." He found a moment between breaths to gain her attention, and she look so beautiful in his shirt with her hair in a natural wave.
"I—I promise we'll find them." She narrowed her brows, find what? Had she lost something, about to reply did rush to get ready already brainstorming where on earth it could damn well be.

"Um...Find what?" She called back, and with his shirt rebutted and running a hand through his disheveled locks he grabbed her left hand. Not wanting to cause her to go into a panic, but the second his thumb lightly traced the spot where her wedding bands had been, she shook her in disagreement.

"They're at home."
"What?!" He had never seen her take them off, and now she felt rightly out of place seeing him worry for her and her sanity in thinking they had been misplaced.

"It's wrong for me to wear them."

"There's nothing wrong with it Rory, they mean a great deal of—"

"A symbol of the love I have for another man, a man I'll never see again. And here I have the kindest soul right here in front of me..." The back of her hand caressed Aidan, and he tightly inhaled at how wonderful this sudden affection had been.

"...And denying you the most beautiful sense of love was selfish of me." His eyes widened in response, his words only coming out in a cough. Causing him to gape like a fish.

"What?" Now it was Aidan's gouging eyes that was making her worried, was he ill? Her hand went to touch his forehead as she attempted to find the source of his problems, but alas, it was only because this was entirely by surprise.

"By the gods..." He mumbled, and it had been a bit offensive, until it wasn't...Until she found herself in his embrace. "...Rory I don't you to regret anything that will make you feel guilty towards—"

"I won't. I sought out an answer, and I received all I could. But sometimes we have our own choices. What kind of marriage am in when I haven't seen him in—... I love you, let me show you." Aidan John Proctor was a man of a few words, but now it was his turn to fawn over his girlfriend.

Sure he had been involved with a few witches, but none of them resembled Aurora Black. It was wrong that he ignored the likes of her husband, and only thought him as a criminal. He'd never say that in front of her, but the relationship had been toxic.

Even Regulus agreed.

The man who had been friends with him for ages, had first and foremost agreed. Yet the only reason either—or anyone had managed to withhold from mentioning, was because Aurora was moving on from him at her own pace.

And she was, finally accepting all that has changed.

It was careless, it was laughable. But at the end of it all, either had felt the sexually tension that built up over the years simply vanish.

Aurora had never been with another man, nor recognized the feeling of soft hands belonging to another. Her mute soul gave no indications to Rabastan in prison, but even then the tears in her eyes leaked silently on her own account. She had given herself to another, and this was the first step in moving on from her previous life.

Aurora Lestrange is no more.

*

Aidan had simply been giving Aurora some company as she managed another sampling of her wolfsbane potion, he was available right at her side if she called out a question or asked him to write something down.

He himself wasn't well versed in creating potions from scratch, instead he went in the direction of administering potions under the condition of healers and otherwise. His profession considered him a healer, but he only came in after the illness had been diagnosed and he pieced together how much to prescribe.

Which was perfect on Aurora's account as she needed to find a solution to one of the world's worst curses. Lyncathrapy wasn't deadly, but hearing about the American's and their lack of support on it was downright awful as well.

This affliction shouldn't cause discrimination as much as it does.

Little did Aidan know, Rory was making the final mends to the potion before calling on an ally to aid her introducing this to the world.

"Aidan?...Could I see the trials from last month?" He looked up from his own work for a moment, passing her the folder before going back to his work—Or he would've had he not caught that smile.

"Will you be attending this transformation?"
"I think I've got it...Last time they group A said that they felt in control for half the night. This should do it." A gitty laugh caused Aurora to bounce on her heels, especially when Aidan froze himself.

"Why hadn't you said something the last time!" He cheered, coming towards her inharmoniously and picked her up by her waist to spin her around.
"Aidan John Proctor! You put me down this bloody minute!" He couldn't be settled with her yelling, and instead she relished in the moment of victory.

She had done it yet again.

"We have to tell—"
"Not a single soul, I need to call on a friend." She mumbled, and although she remained silent. She sat right then and there at her desk to draft and sent said parcel.

She hadn't shared that night who she called upon, though he knew it was from Britain. However the next day was surely expected as Rory seemingly prepared for a guest, and when he demanded to know who—Rory just turned as giddy to know that he'd be coming soon.

"Sweet Morgan Aurora! Tell me! Who's coming?!" He wanted in on the excitement, and so before morning had ended she discusses that Otto Handson would be coming. It had been so long since she saw him last, and the only reason Aidan recognized the name was because he was the one to save Rory from her Azkaban sentence.

She was withholding it all was because the children adored the likes of Oh-oh. He was their second Opa as he too was German, and he too was a better figure than Senior Lestrange.

Aurora had warned Liz that she would have a visitor from Britain, a trusted man come and help her with something. And she simply rolled her eyes at Rory still warning them on who was on the property, they had long passed the time of asking for permission.

"Mr.Handson, it's an honor that you've traveled all this way to—" Aurora had fumbled with her tear, like an energized child as Aidan watched her retreating form to answer the door.

"Aurora! My dear child! It's been too long!" He cheered, his accent making either Liz and Aidan grew suspicious on who she had invited over the house, especially as he hadn't said so much.

"Hey Rory, I was wondering if you could watch Saros and Phoenix tonight...Pheebs and I wanted to—" Regulus stilled at the sight of Otto, holding onto his son tightly as he caught the trivial eyes of everyone.

Aurora took one look at her brother and she touched the brink of her nose. "Otto, I can explain—"

"And who's this little lad?" The baby locked his gaze off to Otto, and the man had the essence of an Opa already. So Saro itched his chubby hands-off in protest to be closer.

"Regulus, lovely for you to join the land of the living again."
"R-right. Well Rory never said a word of your coming to America..." Regulus looked in suspicion to his sister and then back to Aidan.

"And you barely said a word since your arrival, so I was left to sadly assume you've moved on." Rory became rightly emotional, the last time she had seen the man before her.

"Oh hush up darling, you rang and I'm here...Now where are the children, and who am I holding?" The baby babbled as he rightly knew he was being talked of, but once Rory called out to the children they all came running down. But Lori did need a bit of help, and so Rory met her youngest and caught her as she jumped the final two steps.

"Oh-Oh?" Imara questioned, and Regulus came over and whispered to the elder that Halsey had changed her name. "Look at you Imara...You've grown so beautifully, all of you!" His gut filled laugh and the way he spoke truly connected to those below him.

These were rightly his grandchildren out of everyone.

Aurora returned into the kitchen, though Lori wanted Aidan rather than her mum. Which wasn't much of a surprise as he hadn't been home all that long either.

"That's Saros...This here's Lorelei." He gestured up between them, but Aidan saw the confusion in the newcomer's eyes on who's the child's parent was.

"How about you say hello to Oh-Oh?"
"Mummy? Who Oh-Oh?" The babe turned, and she smiled to her youngest and explained that he's an old friend and will stay for the time being.

"Aurora." Otto spoke, demanding the attention of her former student. And she stilled at being spoke like that, yet he didn't care. "What did you promise me when you left?" Aidan looked to Rory in confusion now, as had Regulus.

"That I'd owl if I had any problems." His silence spoke enough volumes which caused her to huff.

"Sir, Rory has plenty of help here with her." Aidan offered a smile and a polite hand in greeting.

"Aidan Proctor, sir." Otto didn't deny the young man for a first meeting.

"Alright, how about I talk to you mummy and auntie for a bit," Otto demanded, and Aurora felt slightly nervous. "We can talk in my study...Aidan if you have to go to—"

"Nah, I'll owl them that I'll be late." He smiled, and she came over to kiss his cheek and swipe her finger to Lori's nose to caused her to giggle.

Otto had not missed that action, but politely looked away from the two as he handed back the little lad and watched the entire room become vacant—All except for his favorite student.

"Darling, you haven't kept up with your promise one bit. Rose demanded that I come last night thinking something was—"

"Nothing is wrong, but I wouldn't want to go into business with anyone other than my former teacher." He narrowed his brow but knew to prepare a kettle a hope for an apology would aid her in this reunion.

"What sort of business?"

"Do we rightly want to talk business so soon? How are you? Rose?" He soon dove in on all that occurred the following years from her departure, he had managed to return to the Lestrange manor and heard from the Elves that they received a few visitors but there was nothing more to showcase as America was out of their reach.

Especially when she was living under the Blackwell name and Halliwell property.

"Regulus is actually married now, two sons and twins on the way."

"He always looked like he'd make a good father, proud of the lad, I'm sure Orion is getting his shades in a bind for it." Aurora hid behind her hand and giggled, the only Brit lingo she had heard was Reg's, and Reg usually piggy bagged off of her considering she was there last.

He was delighted to hear that the twins would be going to Salem like their mum had—All of the children would be attending, but that opened the door for him to ask about Lorelei.

"Had you told us...We would've—"

"Otto you've done so much for me, you've opened me to the world of potions when everyone saw me for a witch and no more than a wife. I cannot thank you enough for noticing me during my OWLS." He chuckled sipping his tea.

"How could I not? You bested a room filled with wizards close to a decade to your senior." A light blush formed at his compliment and she shook her head away.

"Lorelei came...I didn't know I was with child until I was already three months with child. And Regulus' wife was pregnant as well. I have them, Elizabeth and her husband and—"

"Mr.Proctor?" She perked her lips and looked away, not rightly feeling this conversation all that lightly anymore.

"He seems like a nice bloke."
"He's brilliant, he's a potion master at the Salem Memorial Hospital."

"Naturally, and he lives here? With the children?" Her shoulders slouched, causing him to frown. "I mean no judgment darling, I simply want to know what you've been up to." 

"We started dating officially a bit after Lori was born...But I knew him a long while." He was suspicious of that option and smiled never the less.

"I'm glad you can find peace Aurora, you very well deserve it now." He had then taken notice of the lack of a ring on her hand, perhaps she had taken it off once she started dating the bloke downstairs. The last time he had seen her, she was a frantic mess to leave the country.

And now she was here and smiling.

"I have figured out wolfsbane." She whispered, without any introduction and much like when she introduced Dragon Pox. But Otto had not been prepared as he swore once he saw the amount of tea he had spilled on himself.

"You right fowl witch! Gone for years and adore a surprise, how did you manage?!" He cried, but his smile never faltered or left her person as she hurried to grab her notebook and manual.

"Aidan helped me with the dosages and percentages, but America capitalizes it just as much as you warned me. I want—Need you to produce this in Britain." His mouth gaped, she had all but handed him the solution to a world's second problem.

"Aurora..."
"I can't step foot there ever again, I will do all I can from here. But I can't—" He placed the book off on the table and reached to bundle her hands together. Giving her a moment of clarity had he found it damn impossible to what she had trusted him this much.

"I'll send for the team to come here, nothing more than meetings. America can buy the shipment when it's released." She bowed her head for a moment and shook her head, trying to find her voice as she choked the first and second attempts.

"I have another favor to ask." He nodded and squeezed her hands together, excited for a task and more than relieved to see his star pupil once again.

"When this is released, you must send a year's supply to a man named Remus Lupin."

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Date Posted: 01-20-20

Time: 4:23

Words: 3643

Aidan filled chapter, I'm going to run and hide...

I know, I know
I realize a lot of you dislike/hate him but after three years there comes a time when Aurora moves on.
With only her letters being sent and nothing in response, it's been silent since they saw one another at the trial. Although she isn't getting a divorce at the sake of their souls tearing apart and all that, it didn't say anything against another relationship. 

"The divorce rate among couples where one spouse is incarcerated for one year or more is 80 percent for men and close to 100 percent for women." 

Rabastan being in Azkaban is a plausible cause for an annulment but of course Rory decided again that, she is rebuilding her life in America and plans to find her happiness. And creating Wolfsbane is just the start of it.

So if you were in Aurora's position would you remain faithful or starting a new life?

And a bigger question...

Should the children go to Ilvermorny or Hogwarts?